Dear Editor,
I am writing to give my views on an article entitled “SCMP Thought process” dated 11 May, 2016.
I totally agree that Hong Kong lacks an all-person education to set students up for life.
First of all, it is believed that the DSE is not an accurate indicator of performance in university. The DSE is actually being highly regarded as the most effective proof of students to strive for the university entrance ticket. The DSE curriculum is based on the main focus of each subject, mainly testing on memorizing and exam skills. That is why DSE candidates are mostly trained to memorize concepts and question patterns. The exam-driven and cram-school mentality produces students who could ace the DSE but failed to promote independent thinking and self-learning. As university classes are taught very differently from they are in secondary schools, requiring a high proficiency in critical thinking skills, students often struggle to change their study methods all of a sudden. They will then lag behind the demanding syllabus and eventually feel dissatisfied with their poor academically performance.
If secondary education ought to be fully preparing students for receiving the university education, it should definitely move away from rote learning and instill thinking skills in the students instead.
In fact, our secondary education needs to be remedied. Students should develop the habit of self-learning from a young age as this skill is not only for acing exams, but also crucial in acquiring knowledge in our whole lives. I believe that a good reading habit is the first step for students to take the initiative in the whole spontaneous learning journey. Our secondary education could focus more on encouraging students to read continuously so as to help them develop the interest in reading printed texts. Instead of cramming in dozens of contents, more thinking and less memorization should be promoted. The main focus is to promote the understanding of knowledge but not blindly memorize concepts without even knowing what it means.
After all, we have to realize that it is the global competition we are facing. In fact, many world-leading organisations want employees who can learn and think on their own, and take the initiative in solving workplace problems. This explains why we can no longer afford the frantic high cost of producing students without self-learning and thinking skills. Our education curriculum and schools’ teaching methods should be reviewed shortly as we will be left behind in the global competition if we stay the same. We should envisage the real situation and take steps in order to gear up for our own future. It is suggested that our education system takes reference in countries such as Germany and Finland, which are well-known for their all-rounded education. Although we cannot fully compare our physical situations with theirs, we can have an insight on how these countries allocate their resources in creating opportunities for citizens to pursue an all-person education. It is found that countries as such often promote educational activities outside the classroom. For instance, schools in Finland build the community and help to enhance the sense of belonging among the citizens by making community services mandatory in both primary and secondary education. Such important values are deep-rooted in their education system which plays a crucial role in building high-quality citizens.
We can conclude that our exam-driven education no longer works globally. There are more practical skills that should be honed in order to help the young generation keep up with the world’s pace. We could no longer afford passive learning mentality. That is why we should look further and deeper into the attitude and purpose of receiving an all-person education.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong